Jazfro Skubano's Afro-Latin-Jazz-Funk-Ska Corner

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Whoever conflated jazz and 'easy listening' must have been a marketing executive short of weed.

To be sure, this selection of latin jazz is very pleasant to listen to -that's the intent, anyways- but there is nothing 'easy' or complacent about the musicianship. So here are your options: you can play this in the background for your xmas dinner, or you can listen to the multi-layered rhythms and melodies whenever you want. Enjoy!

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

(paradoxically?) New Year's Day is going to be a 'Blue Moon' Night (geeks: this is a once-every-19 years-event!). Special music is required!

Here is my selection of party music fit for a Blue Moon New Year: hard-hitting Afro-Cuban with enough pumping timba to trigger an avalanche; a ton of sweaty latin funk to melt you down, pulsating cumbia, plena, bomba, guaguanco and m'balax to trigger your senses; and lots of kinky salsa dura to make your hands work in sync with your hips -including a few XXX-rated numbers! Grab your partner and hit the dancefloor! Enjoy: parties that good only happen once in a blue moon!

Another great selection of classic conga-driven latin jazz to celebrate the arrival of my new conga set! Each and every tune features (at least) one master conga drummer, from Chano Pozo to Anga. Jazz / Latin / Funk. Respect for the masters. Enjoy!

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

This is a long-standing project of mine. Bringing together the music of the two islands had always made sense to me. Even more so in recent years with all the caribbean fusion and 'post-world-music' stuff coming through from both sides of the atlantic. Digging in my own little music vault, I also found some evidence of afro-cuban/jamaican fusion as early as the late 1950s! So here it is: jazfro's selection of latinized reggae, ska-ified afro-cuban jazz, and vice versa. JAZFROSKUBANO rules! As befits an eclectic selection spanning genres, decades, and continents: some of it is weird, some of it is wacky, but it's all wonderful! Enjoy!

1. Jamaicuba / Mongo Santamaría / Our Man In Havana

2. Cantaloupe Island / Yeska / Skafrocubanjazz

3. Jamaica Jump Up / Ray Barretto / Señor 007

4. Skacha / Ocho Y Media / Sigue!

5. El Vendedor De Melones / Toño Quirazco / Jamaica Ska

6. Savito / The Undergrounds / Trojan Calypso Box Set

7. Probando Nuevos Sabores / Jose Conde Y Ola Fresca / Revolucion

8. Un Abrazo Tuyo / El Zorro / Volando

9. Get Up, Stand Up / ¡Cubanismo! / ¡Mucho Gusto!

10. Tabu / Ska Cubano / ¡Ay Caramba!

11. Back To Back / Cándido / Brujerías de Cándido

12. Peligrosa / Grupo Fantasma (feat. El Ragah)/ Movimiento Popular

13. Maruchi / Spook & The Guay / Ocho Rios

14. Llevale Mi Canto / Sergent Garcia / Un Poquito Quema'o

15. La Ola / San Lazaro / Mestizos Urbanos

16. Latin Go Ska / The Skatalites / Greatest Hits

17. A La Bobo / Willie Bobo & His Orchestra / Let's Go Bobo!

get some fresh mint & mix a jug of mojito, invite the neighbours and have a party! PLAY LOUD! SINGALONG!